A hockey-centric rec set because what I need now is more hockey in my life :)

For my policy on things such as spoilers, warning, and ratings, please see [my policy post].

It's hockey season on my TV, what with the Stanley Cup playoffs of the amusingly-named NHL, and so I thought a hockey-themed rec set would be appropriate. I wrote most of these recs whilst somewhat loopy from being ill. So, um, yeah, these aren't always so much with the coherency? But eh, who cares! Let's consider this entry more of a 'hockey stories which make me happy' list and call it time to move onto the recs, yeah? :)

Story:ForecheckAuthor:trolllogicfics (writing journal) // spastic_visions (personal journal)Fandom, etc.: Supernatural, gen, PG, 2K wordsContains: This is a canon-parellel AU, so there's still fighting monsters in the background (and only just off-screen once) and John is still a widower. Author's Summary: John watches Dean and Sam grow up on the ice. My Notes: This story is itself a giant love letter to, not hockey specifically, but the love that Dean (and Sam) have for hockey. I was only a few sentences into this story when I was saying, 'yes, yes, this is how it goes!' because I could see reflected back at me the love which I held for the water when I was growing up. So not only is this a great fic that adds to a verse which I absolutely love, but it also is about one of the truths of my life. This story (this verse entirely) does quite well at adapting the SPN characters to the verse, and this story does wonderfully at elaborating the backstory to 'Five for Fighting', although it does stand alone well. Why it fits: Hockey, hockey, hockey. This is the love story between Dean and Sam and the sport which defines so much of their life. I can't possibly say enough good things about this story and how awesome it is :D :DAdditional works in the verse: There's an entire verse of fics (primarily SPN, but with other fandoms getting dovetailed in) which is at the [hockey!AU] tag. I have previously [recced] the first story written in this verse, 'Five for Fighting'.

Story:Road SwingAuthor:trolllogicfics (writing journal) // spastic_visions (personal journal)Fandom, etc.: Sherlock BBC (in the SPN Hockey AU verse), gen, Rated: Awesome (actual rating: PG), 3700 wordsAuthor's notes: Borrows backstory from my hockey!AU which is based around Supernatural. No knowledge of that story is needed to enjoy this. It just seemed a bit silly to have multiple hockey verses.Reccer's response to author's note: Lies! Is totally *not* silly to have multiple hockey verses! OTOH, since it's all one verse, you can have delightful Watson'n'Dean former teammates backstory, so I'll let you get away with it this once.Author's Summary: NHL!AU. Sherlock Holmes is an eccentric goaltender who keeps getting traded due to attitude problems. John Watson is a perennial minor leaguer getting what could be his last shot at the NHL. My Notes: I've really run out things to say that aren't some combination of allcaps, hockey, yay, and exclamation marks, haven't I? Whatever, it's awesome. :) Why it fits: Look at me, reccing Sherlock BBC! :P Um, hockey! As per usual with spastic-visions, the characters and situations are beautifully adapted and transformed into their logical hockey counterparts.Note: Yes, I realise it's getting ridiculous, but I don't care! :p I guess at this point it should just be taken as a given that I rec everything in this verse, okay?

Story:Bright College YearsAuthor:fourfreedoms (The author used to be dark_reaction and is now fourfreedoms, this is terribly confusing to me :( )Fandom, etc.: Generation Kill, Brad/Nate, R, 7800 wordsContains: frat boys drinking, brief reference to recreational drug use. Author's Summary: Bravo platoon as a fraternity. First line: When Ray decided to rush Beta Rho Alpha, it was mostly out of protest. His high school buddies didn't think he had the cajones for Greek life. Ray thought they could go fuck themselves. He chose Beta Rho Alpha because during the freshman activities bazaar on the arts quad the brothers were doing the cha cha slide. There was this tall blond motherfucker in flip flops and board shorts with his BPA t-shirt, shouting at them about being out of sync, and how he was going to make them do the popcorn if they didn't get it together, and Ray just knew he'd found the right one. My Notes: This reminds me of my uni years. Not in the 'in a frat' part, because I wasn't. But because of the hijinks and the hard work, the dedication to many things, the camaraderie, and the figuring out really important shit in between everything else that's going on. Ah, my uni years. You were horrible and wonderful and totally not the point of this rec. This is a marvelous story and I'm having trouble expressing exactly why it resonates so strongly with my and why I think it's so awesome. Bah! But I shall give it a stab anyway: I wanted to call this story a slice of life-- and it totally is, just not in the way that phrase is traditionally used. And it's also a growing up/coming of age story, only not really. So yeah, if Bravo platoon were a frat at Cornell, this is what it might have been like. Also, I love that its an ensemble fic-- true, it's centered around Brad and Nate, but many characters get screen time. Why it fits: Well, Brad does play hockey here (even though it's not what I'd call a major focus of the fic). But also because I wanted to rec the next one and it builds off of this one. Plus, this fic has been kicking around my 'to rec' bookmark list for a while. Neener neener, my comm, my completely flagrant disregard for my own rules, booyah! :)

Story:Ear to the GroundAuthor:fourfreedomsFandom, etc.: Generation Kill, Brad/Nate, R, 1300 wordsAuthor's Summary: Brad plans for a life post-Cornell. Fratboy!AU future fic. My Notes: So there I am, right? In the kitchen actually cooking dinner, my laptop playing music in the corner but otherwise abandoned (the first part of cooking dinner had consisted of a lot of 'mind that that pot doesn't do anything tricksy' aka 'my laptop is in the far corner of the kitchen and every few paragraphs of fanfic I go poke at it') and one of my housemates walks in and does a double-take at what's on the screen. 'What's this about the Sharks sucking?' I get asked. I chuckle, juggle three different pots (one of which is heavily full of water and noodles and one of which is empty and why hadn't I moved that one earlier), futz with the heat on the burners, toss some veg on, and say, 'Keep reading for the next paragraph. And get out of my kitchen, I'm cooking! Oh wait, after you've read that, hit the back button and read the first section of the prequel, it'll amuse you.' So yeah, in summary: Ray doesn't know shit about hockey, hockey is awesome, extra bodies in my kitchen just to filch delicious ingredients might get hit with a wooden spoon, listen to me if I tell you that you'll like GK because you like it see I was right, these stories have the stamp of amusement of multiple people, and I still haven't gotten around to an actual reccer's note here, have I? :P Okay, so, my point? Whatever, I don't need no stinking points! *handwaves* story! Why it fits: Hockey and determination and making things work and life choices.

Story:Aren't Like Other FansAuthor:anamuanFandom, etc.: Inception, Arthur/Hockey (with some Arthur/Eames), Teen, 880 wordsFirst line: One thing Eames will never, ever really understand about Arthur is the hockey. Oh, he should probably. Theoretically, Eames can make it work, make it make sense. Hockey's a game of skill and teamwork. It's fast, and can be brutal. All of those make sense to Eames as reasons why Arthur could enjoy the sport, even as a spectator. Eames can see the appeal of the sport. [no author summary given.]My Notes: Yes, Eames, do be thankful you don't have to bring cephalopods! A lovely character study of Arthur as a Blackhawks fan and Eames as the not-previously-a-hockey-fan who now has to learn to live with one. A happy, sweet, amusing story which hits just the right note of laughter and insight. Why it fits: I concur with both anamuan and Eames that Arthur as a hockey fan makes a lot of sense, but even more than that, this story belongs on this list for the shear confusion which Arthur causes Eames (before Eames has figured out what's going on) and it amuses me.

Story:Gone to the Dogs (AOOO)Author:panfix // Rei KinneasFandom, etc.: Hockey RPF, gen, teen, 6800 wordsContains: Excessive Cuteness with just a dash of angst for flavouring.Author's Summary: Jonathan Toews turns into a puppy. Then some other stuff happens. My Notes: Transforms into a puppy! YAAAAY! :D (Yes, I know, I like ridiculous things, but I'm totally okay with this as a lifestyle choice, so booyah to me!) One of the things I like about this story is that everyone has to be kind of 'a-yup, puppy transformation, what'll we do now?' because the transformation happens in the locker room after a game so everyone sees it. Don't get me wrong, stories with hidden transformations or having-to-convince-people transformations can be fun too, but this way we get to skip over all the "persuading people" and get right to the "transformed into a puppy and how everyone reacts (plus, let's play with the puppy!)" part. Why it fits: I was a little leery of including a Hockey RPF story on this list and then I decided two things: (a) transforming into a puppy and (b) I get to make the rules. So now Hockey players! Puppies! Awesome! Like, plot and stuff! Teammates!Alternate links: [Gone to the Dogs (LJ)]

Do you have any fanworks which are your go-to for when there isn't enough hockey on TV? Any links to especially awesome clips of hockey? *grabby hands*

and do I have any missing/incorrect info in these recs? I hope not! But let me know and I'll fix it!

You have no idea how much those recs mean to me! Firstly because I put so much of myself into Bright College Years, excepting of course, the frat house and Cornell, but it was my senior year of college, just on the cusp of graduation and it was more autobiographical than I intended it to be. And Secondly, because Ear To The Ground has always been a fic I've felt fairly insecure about. I went back and read it after this rec and I'm still not comfortable with it, but it's nice to see somebody so fond of it. And even though I know nothing of hockey, I've only ever been to Sharks games, hometown pride, so Ray can suck it.

I agree that 'Ear to the Ground' is not quite as smooth as most of your fics, but I think it works for it very well-- I've lived that sort of situation before (um, minus the bit about the NHL draft, obv ;) ) and it does feel very spiky and rough and awkward until things get sorted, and I think you managed to capture that very well in the story. So that's what I think about that! Oh wait, that and also that this Brad and Nate are clearly going to work in the long haul, because look at them. :)

So, you know you're one of my favorite people ever, right? I would write the hockey fic into a vacuum but the fact that I know you're at very least there to go into ALLCAPS with me makes it so much better. *hugs*

[and fyi, I'm halfway through a Psych!hockey fic at the moment, with vague nebulous short of plans for a Dresden Files/Sherlock short (wherein Harry accidentally soulgazes John on the ice and they instantly decided to get into a fight afterwards) as well as the Merlin one you planed in my head.]